Verbena plant named ‘KLEVP20052’

ABSTRACT

A new  Verbena  plant particularly distinguished by red and light violet flowers with white at the base of the petals, and an upright, compact, and rounded habit, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Verbena x hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘KLEVP20052’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of Verbena,botanically known as Verbena x hybrida, and hereinafter referred to bythe variety name ‘KLEVP20052’. ‘KLEVP20052’ originated from across-pollination conducted in November 2015 in Cobbitty, New SouthWales, Australia between the proprietary female Verbena variety‘15.5169’ (unpatented), and the proprietary male Verbena variety‘15.5170’ (unpatented).

The seeds from the cross were sown and plants were grown for evaluation,where an individual plant designated ‘KLEVP20052’ was selected from thegroup of plants in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia in October 2016.

In October 2016, ‘KLEVP20052’ was first vegetatively propagated byvegetative cuttings in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia.‘KLEVP20052’ was found to reproduce true to type in successivegenerations of asexual propagation via vegetative stem cuttings.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new variety when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Latina, Italy.

-   -   1. Red and light violet flowers with white at the base of the        petals; and    -   2. Having an upright, compact, and rounded habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

This new Verbena plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographwhich shows the plant's overall plant habit including form, foliage, andflowers. The photograph is of a plant approximately 12-weeks-old grownindoors in Stuttgart, Germany in April 2020. The colors shown are astrue as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographicprocedures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘KLEVP20052’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inLatina, Italy. Data was collected on three-month-old plants grown in agreenhouse in 2019. Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart ofThe Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 5^(th) edition(2007).

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Verbenaceae.        -   Botanical.—Verbena x hybrida.        -   Common.—Verbena.        -   Designation.—‘KLEVP20052’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—‘15.5169’ (unpatented).        -   Male parent.—‘15.5170’ (unpatented).-   Plant:    -   -   Growth and branching habit.—Upright with a compact and round            shape.        -   Height (from top of soil).—23.0 cm.        -   Width (horizontal plant diameter).—34.0 cm.        -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—Approximately 8            weeks.        -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—2 weeks.        -   Root description.—RHS 155B (White), fine fibrous roots.-   Stems:    -   -   Number of branches per plant.—More than 25.        -   Growth habit.—Upright.        -   Length.—20.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.23 cm.        -   Internode length.—2.0 cm.        -   Color.—RHS 139D (Green).        -   Anthocyanin.—Absent.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Appearance in cross-section.—Round.-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Immature and mature leaf color.—Upper surface: RHS 141A            (Green). Lower surface: RHS 141C (Green).        -   Length.—4.1 cm.        -   Width.—2.1 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Crenate.        -   Texture.—Upper surface: Leathery. Lower surface: Rugose.        -   Venation type.—Pinnate.        -   Venation color (both upper and lower surfaces).—RHS 141D            (Green).        -   Petioles.—Length: 0.3 cm. Diameter: 0.1 cm. Color: RHS 141D            (Green). Texture: Leathery.-   Flower buds:    -   -   Shape.—Tall, cylindrical.        -   Length.—1.5 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.3 cm.        -   Color (at tight bud).—RHS 68C (Red-Purple).-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Blooming habit (flowering season).—Continuously.        -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—About 1 week.        -   Fragrance.—Absent.        -   Inflorescence type.—Umbel.        -   Length of inflorescence.—4.7 cm.        -   Diameter of inflorescence.—5.0 cm.        -   Number of florets per inflorescence.—17.        -   Peduncle.—Color: RHS 141A (Green). Length: 2.6 cm. Diameter:            0.2 cm.-   Florets:    -   -   Length.—1.8 cm.        -   Diameter.—1.7 cm.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Form.—Single.        -   Corolla tube length.—1.8 cm.        -   Corolla tube color.—RHS 157B (Green-White).        -   Petals.—Length of lobe: 1.9 cm. Diameter of lobe: 0.9 cm.            Lobe shape: Obtuse. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Fused. Margin:            Entire. Texture (both upper and lower surfaces): Glossy,            satiny. Color: Immature: Upper surface: Upper two petals are            RHS 42B (Red) and the lower three petals, distally, are            close to RHS N66C (Red-Purple) and proximally, close to RHS            155B (White). Lower surface: Upper two petals are RHS 51A            (Red) and the lower three petals, distally, are close to RHS            69C (Red-Purple) and proximally, are close to RHS 155A            (White). Mature: Upper surface: Upper two petals are RHS 42C            (Red) and the lower three petals, distally, are close to RHS            N66D (Red-Purple) and proximally, close to RHS 155D (White).            Lower surface: Upper two petals are RHS 51B (Red) and the            lower three petals are, distally, close to RHS 69C            (Red-Purple) and proximally, close to RHS 155B (White).        -   Pedicels.—Not visible.-   Sepals:    -   -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Fused.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Length.—1.3 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.2 cm.        -   Color.—RHS 141C (Green).        -   Texture (both upper and lower surfaces).—Hairy, dull.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Present. Quantity: 4. Appearance: Didynamous.            Color: RHS 139D (Green). Filament length: 0.3 cm. Filament            diameter: 0.1 cm. Anther: Shape: Elliptic. Color: RHS 141D            (Green). Length: 0.15 cm. Diameter: 0.1 cm. Pollen amount:            Moderate. Pollen color: RHS 1B (Green-Yellow).        -   Pistils.—Quantity: 1. Length: 1.7 cm. Diameter: 0.1 cm.            Stigma: Color: RHS 141D (Green). Appearance: Ovate. Length:            0.1 cm. Diameter: 0.1 cm. Style: Color: RHS 141D (Green).            Length: 1.5 cm. Diameter: 0.1 cm. Appearance: Long.-   Fruit and seed set: None observed.-   Disease and pest/insect resistance: Good tolerance to powdery mildew    (Podosphaera xanthii).

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘KLEVP20052’ is distinguished from its parents as described in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Lines Female parent Male parentCharacteristic ‘KLEVP20052’ ‘15.5169’ ‘15.5170’ Flower color Upper twopetals Upper two petals Upper two petals are red, while the areburgundy, are deep pink, lower three petals while the lower while thelower are light violet three petals are three petals are white lavender

‘KLEVP20052’ is most similar to the commercial Verbena POPS ‘Salmon+RedEye’ (also known as ‘KLEVP15616’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,320).Differences between the varieties are described in Table 2.

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety Characteristic ‘KLEVP20052’‘Salmon + Red Eye’ Growth habit Upright, compact, and Upright roundedshape Flower color Bicolor Solid with eyes Branching ability Morebranching than Less branching than ‘Salmon + Red Eye’ ‘KLEVP20052’

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Verbena plant designated‘KLEVP20052’ as illustrated and described herein.